US Energy Information Administration: “Solar, battery storage to lead new U.S. generating capacity additions in 2025.” The EIA ‘anticipates 63 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale electric-generating capacity to be added to the U.S. power grid in 2025 in their latest Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory report.’ [Notice this does not include distributed solar such as my rooftop array]. “Together, solar and battery storage account for 81% of the expected total capacity additions, with solar making up over 50% of the increase.” Texas at 11.6 GW + California at 2.9 GW will account for nearly half of the new utility-scale solar capacity increase this year. They also “expect five other states (Indiana, Arizona, Michigan, Florida, and New York) each to account for more than 1 GW of added solar capacity in 2025 and collectively account for 7.8 GW of planned solar capacity additions. Helping to balance supply + demand also is battery storage, which could set a record of 18.2 GW of utility-scale battery storage to be added to the grid. Proud to report that my EV battery is now connected as a distributed secondary power source to our local utility, though most of my battery charging comes from that rooftop solar. Sadly, under the current administration, it is now anticipated wind will add only 7.7 GW to the grid. I am much happier to report the edging out of ‘natural’ methane gas in this sector: “Developers plan to build [only] 4.4 GW of new natural gas-fired capacity in the United States during 2025: 50% from simple-cycle combustion turbines and 36% from combined-cycle power blocks.” So, solar, wind, storage + geothermal are now ganging up on methane gas . And combining to combat climate change. Gotta love it.
Solar & Storage in the Lead – Again
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